The project will support the up gradation and maintenance of selected roads within the state’s core road network, through three contracting approaches as explained below.

Up gradation and maintenance through (EPC) contracts :

Construction of civil works for widening and upgrading of approximately 427 km of roads of Core Road Network (CRN) to two-lane with paved shoulders standards through EPC contracts including maintenance for a 5-year period after the construction

Up gradation and maintenance through Public Private Partnership(PPP) concessions: (Modified Annuity)

Construction of civil works for widening and upgrading of approximately 145 km of roads of CRN to four-lane standards and maintenance during the concession period

Maintenance through Multi-year Output and Performance Based Road Contract

Maintenance of approximately 600 km of CRN for a 5-year period adopting Multi-yearn Performance-based Contract approach

World Bank loan component will also support the associated activities like transaction advisory, supervision of quality control, and advisory services; shifting of utilities etc. Also, the project roads will be designed and implemented with particular attention to achieve better road safety outcomes especially for the vulnerable road users.

Institutional Capacity Enhancement:

This component aims to implement the Institutional Capacity Enhancement Plan (ICEP) developed by the HD and approved by GoTN. The project will support

(a) Policy level actions and commitments to improve both mobilization and allocation of resources in the road sector.

In addition to the provisions for better road safety on project roads, the project will support achievement of improved road safety, at two levels, Viz., State and District levels.

EPC mode of contracting :

Construction of civil works for widening and upgrading of 427 kms of roads of Core Road Network (CRN) to two-lane with paved shoulders including maintenance for 5 years have been awarded and works are in progress. Table - 1 shows the details of works under EPC packages.

146 Km length of roads are proposed to be widened as four lane with paed shoulders thro’ PPP – mode. Noc has been obtained from World Bank and Tamilnadu Infrastructure Development Board for inviting tenders for PPP-02 & PPP-03. Tenders for the Packages PPP0 3 & 02 will be opened in online on 04.10.2017 & 09.10.2017 respectively and the remaining work PPP02 will be invited only after obtaining judgment order from the Hon’ble High Court. The details are as follows.

In order to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of road asset management and maintenance, Output and Performance Based Maintenance Contracts (OPRC) have been introduced as an innovative approach. Minimum road conditions and Service Levels are defined based on output and performance measures for which the contractor is responsible.

Roads improved under TNRSP I (Arcot - Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam - Tuticorin) for a length of about 597 km have been entrusted at a cost of Rs.220.00 Crores in two packages for 5 years maintenance period adopting OPRC approach and the works are in progress. The details are as follows.

Package

Name of work

Length in km

OPRC - 01

Arcot - Tiruvarur Road

265.30

OPRC - 02

Nagapattinam - Thoothukudi Road

332.17

Total (PPP works)

597.47

Institutional Capacity Enhancement (ICE) and Road Safety :

The implementation of ICE and RS components are being taken up through the newly formed ICERS Cell under the control of Director General, Highways Department.